Raymond Chan, Hong Kong's First Gay Lawmaker, To Push Gay Marriage

Raymond Chan, Hong Kong's first openly
gay lawmaker, says he will push for the legalization of gay marriage
in the former British colony.

The 40-year-old Chan, known as “Slow
Beat” from his days hosting a radio shown known as Fast Slow
Beats, won a seat in Hong Kong's legislature last weekend.

A member of the pro-democracy People
Power party, Chan came out gay after he captured his seat, declaring
he would become a champion for LGBT rights.

“If I can't fight for my own rights,
how can I help the oppressed and the underdogs?” he told the AFP.
“As a lawmaker – whether I like a man or a woman – it doesn't
affect my capability or my political ideologies.”

“Hong Kong is definitely lagging
behind,” Chan said. “There is no protection for gay couples. I
hope we can enact laws to ban discrimination against one's sexual
orientation as soon as possible and of course, the long-term goal is
to amend the laws to allow same-sex marriage.”